The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-09
THE CODE IN NEW MEXICO.
1t was the Slickest Bit of Shooting Ever
Seen in Those Parts.
From the New YORK. lSull.

~ WIS Olc CICk6SU DlD OI ouoC1AiiS II "a
Seen in Those Parts.
From, the New York Sun.
KINGSTON n. NJ, June IA typical
Southwestern duel occurred here a day or
two ago between Con Ryan and Jim Burke.
The latter has been known for several years
as the Terror of the Black Range. He gave
himself the title, but as desperate and, In
many respects, sneaking villain, be had
come to be known and feared by many. He
and Ryan had had many quarrels, but had
not come to blows. On the night preceding
the duel they had had more than the ordl-
nary amount of trouble, and it was thought
strange by most people that a resort TO
weapons was not had sooner.
About daylight, when nearly all the tiger
games had closed, Ryan and Burke were on
the main street together, when the latter
said:
"Come, now, let us fight this thing out
like men. You and have carried blowing
far enough. Either you'll drop or will.
III give you two minutes to draw.
Ryan responded by saying that he was
willing to fight; but that he had no gun,
! and that Burke knew it. Burkes reply to
this was that Ryan was liar. But, come
on ;" he yelled, ''and will get you gun"
As both men moved off in the direction OF
Burke's place the crowd followed at "a
| respectful distance, determined to see the
fun. On the way policeman was encoun-
| tered, and, after q short explanation, he
pricked up his ears and joined the throng.
When the mob arrived at Burkes house
that worthy entered alone, and presently
came out with two 45-calibre revolvers. one
in each hand. AS he approached the crowd
he threw one weapon on the ground at
Ryan's feet, and said savagely
There's your gum"
Ryan looked at the revolver and at Burke,
and throwing out both hands by way of ex-
postulation said: That's no way to do.
You can shoot me while l am picking up
the gun. Besides that don't know that it
is loaded
Burke began to swear, and was saying
that he never could get good fight when
he wanted one, when the crowd clamor-
ously declared that Ryan was right. 1t was
not a fair show to make him pick up a gun
that was lying on the ground. Much dis
putation followed, and at one time it looked
as though, if there was to be fight at all,
it would be a free one, but it was finally
settled by Burke agreeing to put his gun on
the ground also Both were then to pick
up their weapons and go at it. Ryan ac-
cepted the conditions just as the sun was
coming up, and the crowd fell back in order
TO give the shooters full play.
At q word from Burke both men sprang
forward The Terror of the Black Range
was noisy, staggering and defiant, while
| Ryan was pale, rather nervous and silent
| Ryan got his gun first, but for some reason
did not fire until after Burke had sent two
bullets whizzing past his head. Everybody
expected to see Ryan drop. His antagonist
had the reputation of being dead shot, and
his failure to hit his mark after two times
| trying disconnected him as much as it sur
| prised the spectators. After the second
| shot Burke stood in silence for moment
with his weapon outstretched, evidently
making desperate attempt to put the next
| shot where it would count. While he was
! thus surveying the man who confronted him
there was a click and q crash followed like
| lightning by another from the same weapon,
that weapon being Ryan's, and when the
| eyes of the murderer could move from the
place where he stood the spot where
| Burke should have been they fell on the
prostrate form of the man who had pro-
voked and suggested the duel. The Terror
| of the Black Range was stone dead The
first shot had finished him in the twink ling
of an eye, and the second bullet, dispatched
almost simultaneously on the same course
| did not find him there. He dropped like a
log at the instant of the first shot, and when
examined was found with his revolver
clutched in his hand and with bullet hole in
his head, entering to the left of the nose
and coming out at the rear on a straight
| line.
This point determined, not much re-
manned to be done Ryan appeared before
justice later In the day and gave bonds,
| but the loss will never hurt him any. It is
| the verdict of the crowd that the job was
the slickest that was ever done in this town,
n1Itir1lnrV ST thnt time of 1aV